Rail bond



' 'Oct. 25, 1927. 1,646,917

C." L. LARSON RAIL BOND Filed NOV. 19, 1926 Velnesses: Inventor:

' C/MELES, L. Lmeso/v,

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filled with a copper electrode.

Patented Oct. 25, 1927.

STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GI-IARL ESL. LARSON, F WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOE TO THE AMERICAN STEEL AND WIRE COMPANY OF NEW JERSEY, .ll. CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

BAIL BOND.

Application filed November 19, 1926. Serial no] 149,387.

This invention relates to rail bonds and more particularly to rail bonds of the arcweld type, and has for its object the 'provision of an improved form of terminal for this class of bond, which when located against a rail head, will form a pocket for retaining the molten welding metal.

The progress of the art of welding with a copper electrode has not progressed to the point where the copper electrode can be deposited in small increment in the same way as the steel electrode. The copper electrode flows more freely than steel and can not be retained readily in a trough without ends.

:' It has been found that a trough having closed ends, but with one side open, can be If the ends are cut on an angle to one side of the trough, the metal from the copper electrode can be filled into the trough on approximately the same angle as that of the end pieces. The electrode metal will not flow over the low side of the trough and the end portions prevent the lateral flow of the metal.

It is also desirable to provide a terminal which extends from the side of the rail the smallest distance practicable. It is also desirable to have the terminal present a sloping surface both vertically and horizontally to deflect the wheels of road vehicles or other objects which may strike the terminals.

The present bond embodies all of the above desirable features.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a plan view of a bond con structed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is an end view showing a bond applied to the head of a rail.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view through the center of one of the bond terminals.

Figure l is a plan of one of the terminal shelf members.

Figure is a plan of a complete terminal.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the letter A designates a standard rail head to which a bond B, constructed in accordance with this invention, is welded.

The bond B comprises a flexible conductor portion 2, preferably formed of a series of spirally laid copper wires 3. The conductor 2 is provided with steel terminals at each end, which terminals are composed of sleeves 4 mechanically secured to the ends of the conductor and separate shelf members G secured :to the sleeves a.

The. shelf members ,C are preferably pressed or forged from a single piece of steel and comprise substantially rectangular hollow body portions 5 having a flat top surface and provided with an open sided recess 6 adapted to receive the sleeve ends of the conductor, and also provided with retaining or clamping lugs 7 adapted to be bent over the open side of the recess 6 to prevent displacement of the shelf members.

The body portions 5 of the shelf members C are provided with hollow end walls or projections 8 which extend upwardly from the body portions and have their side walls converging and rounded so as to provide substantially triangular or conical-shaped end walls.

The bond of this invention is adapted to be mounted against the side of a rail head, so that the one side edge of the shelf body 5 and the side walls of both end walls 8 are in engagement with the rail head, and the top face of the shelf body extends outwardly and upwardly slightly thereby forming a pocket to receive the welding metal 10, which pocket is closed at both ends and one longitudinal side. A pocket such as described leaves the side of the rail head and the top of the shelf body 5 readily accessible for free direction of the are against it, and also permits the welding metal 10 to be built up or filled in on an angle approximately equal to the angle of the end walls, thereby providing asloping surface which will deflect the wheels of road vehicles or other moving objects.

The hollow members C may be readily stamped, pressed or forged from a single piece of steel and are light, strong and durable and due to their light-weight and ease of manufacture, are much cheaper than the heavy solid terminals of the prior art.

lVhile I have shown and described only one specific form of my invention, it will be understood that I do not wish to be limited thereto since various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim 1. A rail bond adapted to be attached to the rails to be bonded by arc-Welding, comprising'a flexible conductor, and steel terminal portlons on each end of said conductor,

said terminal portions comprising a shelf portion extending in a plane at right angles to the axis of the conductor, and integral triangular-shaped end Walls extending upwardly from said shelf, said end Walls having their side faces rounded so as to deflect objects striking endwise against said terininals. 1

i 2 A rail bond adapted to "be attached to,

the rails to be bonded by arc-Weiding, comprising a flexible conductor, and steel terminal portions on each end of said'conductor,

said terminal portions comprising a steel sleeve portion secured around the ends of said CHARLES LQLARsoN. 

